Bushfire map shows areas at risk

It may seem a little early to start talking about bushfires with winter barely out of the way.

But the nation's fire authorities are already preparing for the fire season at a conference in Melbourne today.

They'll take their lead from the official map showing which parts of Australia are going to be most at risk this season.

The south east and south west coastal regions are facing an above average threat, while parts of northern Western Australia, central South Australia and inland Queensland have also been identified as facing above average risk.

The risk is due to abundant grass growth from above average rainfall and higher than average temperatures.

The higher temperatures have also seen forests begin to dry out.

Elsewhere across southern Australia, the fire potential is considered to be normal for 2013- 2014.

The map is created by the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre, which brings together fire managers with climatologists and meteorologists from across Australia each year to discuss fire potential across the country.

Garry Morgan, chief executive of the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre.